EXPLORING LEARNERS' EMOTIONS AND TEACHERS' STRATEGIES IN DEALING WITH THEM IN EFL CONTEXTS Canda Ayu Arum Pertiwi, Dzulfikri Universitas Islam Malang 22102073004@unisma.ac.id, dzulfikri@unisma.ac.id Abstract The study on emotions is particularly important as it is expected to influence people's overall health (Rezapour:2022), then it develops into guilt, embarrassment, shock, pride, and empathy. Based on their experience, this emotion will develop continuously; each of them has different ways of handling it. Understanding students’ emotion is important in the process of studying and receiving any knowledge. This research focuses on one of the private schools located in Malang city. The researchers carried out an interview for more or less sixteen until thirty minutes each, which means around 59 minutes in total. By using the Indonesian language, the researchers conducted the interview with all of the participants face-to-face. Some causes of students’ negative emotions appear such as 1) Do not like the teacher and the subject, 2) Unstable emotions, 3) Class conditions, and 4) Classmates’ Effect. Teachers need to fix students’ negative emotions so that the teaching and learning process will run smoothly. Keywords: Emotion, EFL, Negative emotions, positive emotions I INTRODUCTION The study on emotions is particularly important as it is expected to influence people's overall health (Rezapour:2022), then it develops into guilt, embarrassment, shock, pride, and empathy. People start to feel basic emotions from a baby. Gu (2019) stated that there are four basic types of emotions: Happiness, sadness, fear, and anger are associated in different ways with the three main influences: reward (happiness), punishment (sadness), and stress (fear and anger). Based on their experience, this emotion will develop continuously; each of them has different ways of handling it. According to Amalinda (2021) parents play an important role in children's development, so the implications of applying daily habituation and teacher cooperation include guiding the process of children's development through daily habituation is stimulating learning in children. Students’ emotional development is needed to be guided and directed so parents’ and teachers’ roles are important in guiding their emotional development progress. Cristovao (2020) stated that teachers are students' primary emotional guides, and the foundation for fostering emotional balance within a group is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage students' emotions. Understanding students’ emotion is important in the process of studying and receiving any knowledge. It is important in understanding students’ language learning and their emotion in order to know the best solution early to the obstacles that will happen to our students (Safitri: 2021) in their studies. After finishing Kindergarten school, students are ready for the Elementary school era with more complex emotional feelings. How they respond and react to many incidents around them is deeper and full of curiosity. There are two kinds of emotions in general. Those are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotion is expressed by feelings of happiness, joy, gladness, pride, and so on. While negative emotion is expressed by feelings of sadness, disappointment, hurt, and so on. As discussed by Alfaeni (2022) negative emotions should be managed, so that positive emotions can blossom. Understanding emotion is important so that students can respond to the incident around them appropriately (Bebeclub, 2022). By knowing their own emotion, students are able to show their deviation around. Wardhani (2021) stated that not only the emotion of the students but also teachers’ emotions are important to be known. Without it, it will be hard for the students to place themselves in society and it also gives influences their character building. Character building cannot be separated from emotional development, which greatly influences students’ feelings. This emotional development points to students’ reactions to every feeling they feel, their point of view in solving the problem, take the decision, and their behavior. Emotional development is also connected with how students understand why something happened, know others’ feelings, and develop them. Students who can manage their feelings later can develop a positive image and be confident. As stated by Medise (2022), social and emotional skills are increasingly recognized as important for children to succeed in school and later into adulthood. In Malang, there is one bilingual school. Two bilingual languages, they are English and Arabic. Students use both languages in their everyday activities in school. Both languages are not their everyday mailto:22102073004@unisma.ac.id mailto:dzulfikri@unisma.ac.id 2 | Canda Ayu Arum Pertiwi, Dzulfikri Lingual (Vol. 15, No.1, 2023) language use in the home. So, still, English and Arabic are hard for them to learn. As explained by Aladdin (2021), Arabic was difficult to learn from pronunciation, and later from the writing system and spelling [orthography]. In this case, both languages, especially English, are not used in their daily conversation. This case, more or less, will give some effect on students’ emotions in the teaching and learning process in the class. How they have to learn something difficult, how they can follow class, and how teachers’ roles are applied in this condition. There are two journals that are related to this article. The first article is from Pertiwi (2022), in her article, she discussed the obstacle to teaching English to young learners. At this time, this article also wants to discuss the teachers’ strategies for teaching young learners. In differ, this article is focused on teachers’ strategies for handling students in the teaching and learning process through their emotions. Based on her research, there are 7 points of challenges in teaching English in Elementary School, accused of (1) Having knowledge of languages other than English, (2) Having less motivation (3) Having a negative perception of English (4) Pressuring time (5) Inadequate teaching and learning resources; (6) Cluttered classrooms; condition and (7) Fear of speaking. The second previous study is from Alfaeni (2022) who explained through her research that Students have their own techniques for dealing with their emotions. The purpose of this study was to clarify why students are anxious, nervous, and indifferent to learning English, and how they can overcome their emotional intelligence. The result found that there are four categories of students' emotional intelligence: Anxious (42.75%), Feeling nervous (26%), Feeling embarrassed (19.75%), and Unsure (5.25%). The result shows that many students felt insecure about learning English, and the only way to overcome their emotional intelligence was to engage in English learning intensively. The first article shows the obstacles in teaching English but not based on their emotion. The second article is right about students’ emotions but it is for Senior High School. In this condition, the researcher wants to conduct research related to students’ emotions and it is for Elementary Schools because there is still a lack of people who make research related to both conditions. The researcher hopes that this research can benefit other researchers, especially those who want to do research related to this topic. Knowing the cause of students’ negative emotions appearing in the class is important to keep teaching and learning running smoothly. Therefore, this research will explain some causes stated above. This research is interesting to read because, in this research, the result is not just stated the cause of students’ emotion appears. But, after knowing the causes of students’ negative emotions, the teachers also know the way in handling those situations. In summary, through this research, the readers, especially the teachers, will know what are the causes of students’ negative emotions appearing in the class, so they can avoid that condition and they can also handle those conditions happen. II METHOD This research focuses on one of the private Elementary Schools located in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. There are more or less 30 teachers with 465 students from the first grade to the sixth grade in this school. This school is a bilingual school with two languages learned besides the Indonesian language. They are Arabic and English. 2.1 RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURE This study used a qualitative approach with a case study as the design. The data were collected from questionnaires. We get deeper information through interviews with both teachers. We carried out an interview for more or less sixteen to thirty minutes each, which means around 59 minutes. Using Indonesian language, we conducted the interview with all participants face-to-face. Finally, we recorded the interview and then transcript it into written text. 2.2 RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS Table 1. Interviewed participants (teachers) No Name (pseudonym) Gender S1 Study CODE English Teaching Experiences 1 Mrs. Ati Female S1 Elementary School Teacher 1 (T1) 4 years 2 Mr. Surya Male S1 English Education Teacher 2 (T2) 13 years The participants of this research are four English teachers who gave responds to the questionnaires, and then the researcher interviewed these 2 teachers in this school. III FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 FINDINGS Positive and negative emotions are important in daily life, especially in teaching and learning. Knowing students’ emotions will give effects the teaching and learning process. Emotions can shape how teachers teach and affect learners' willingness to learn what they have learned (Richards:2022). Positive emotions include love, joy, optimism, humor, pride, awe, and hope. While negative emotions include sadness, disappointment, down, sorrow, etc. By knowing their emotions before the teaching and learning process started, teachers can manage class easily and the class will run conditionally. Besides, it will make teachers easier in delivering the material. There are some causes found by the researcher related to students’ negative emotions. Negative emotion is sometimes challenging to handle, but it does not mean cannot be handled. Based on those two emotions stated, every people strongly agree that positivity is better than negativity, and so do emotions. Positive emotions are the best choice over negative ones. As stated by Tan (2021), In improving academic performance, positive academic emotions are better than negative academic emotions. 3.1.1 CAUSE OF NEGATIVE EMOTION APPEARANCE There are some causes to negative emotional appearance in the students. In this case, the researcher explained one by one based on the interview results. Those are: 3.1.1.1 Does not like the teacher and the subject One of the causes of students’ emotions is they do not like the teachers and the subject. English is one of the most dislike subjects for students. Based on the condition explained, they will get angry easier in class and ignore the teachers’ explanations. (T1) There was a student who did not like the teacher, then he keeps giving negative emotions in the class by being angry and argue their friends. He did not give any response to his teachers, did not pay attention, and do everything in the class by himself. Because he did not like the teacher. (T2) Emotion can build from like and dislike. When we meet someone, we do not like, sometimes we automatically feel in a bad mood. On the other sides, when we meet someone, we like, the bad mood feeling will automatically disappear. So, liking and dislike to someone or something have a big influence on students’ emotional feelings. Students who disliked school experienced an overall attachment to the lower school (Graham:2022). Their teacher dislikes giving effect to the subject which students want to learn. The feedback given by the students is connected with the teacher’s provision. The way the teacher gives the material, class management, and class conditioning is important to give a positive effect on the students. As discussed by Alia (2021), the more professional the teacher, the better the learning process, and the high quality of achievement of learning objectives as teachers play a major role in learning. So, they will be happy and enjoy every minute of the learning process with their teachers. The way the material is given to the students must be interesting and students should not be passive participants in the class. English teachers use different kinds of authentic teaching materials such as images, videos, songs, etc. with multiple criteria like relevance, excitement, clarity, and up-to-date (Mufarrohah:2022). In this private Elementary school, the teachers try to give the appropriate material to their students. By finding and asking other people and searching through some available applications, they succeeded to apply them to their students. For them, not only delivering the material but also the way it delivers is also important. How to make students more active in the class and create a “happy class” is their motto in the teaching process. 4 | Canda Ayu Arum Pertiwi, Dzulfikri Lingual (Vol. 15, No.1, 2023) (T1) The material given should be interesting and challenging, the way it delivers is important. Students should not be passive participants they should be more active in the learning process. (T2) Not only English, but teachers should also be more creative and give an extra strategy to build students’ liking in all of the subjects. So, how students want to, and how their happiness feeling appears to learn is a teacher’s duty. Teachers need to motivate students despite the class load and need to teach more optimally and creatively with limited time each week :2020). By using engaging teaching materials, students’ topics are easily discussed and situations are more fun and memorable (Sukritiningsih:2022). The more interesting the material is, the higher students’ curiosity to study deeper. One of the most interesting ways to turn on the class activeness is “teaching by playing”. Playing games in the process of learning will make students more enthusiastic and motivated, especially educational games. Learning games are now used as an innovative media and educational strategy to achieve more effective learning and tend to positively affect the learning process (Syahidi:2021). (T1) the first that teachers should do is teach from the heart. What are our goals, for students, teach with love. As a teacher, we should have many methods and tricks for them. In this private Elementary School, the way the teachers create an interesting English class is by delivering the material through games. For teachers, students need to like the teachers first, then they will easier receive the material. Therefore, the teachers in this school show their best creativity in making their students love them, especially the lesson. 3.1.1.2 Unstable emotions As the researcher stated in the background of the study, students are ready for the Elementary school era with more complex emotional feelings. The chance of them having unstable emotions is bigger and higher. (T1) All this time, I faced different and unstable moods of the students. In the beginning, they feel a bad mood, laziness, and lack of spirit. I just let them flow. I ignore them. After a few times, they will follow me. All of their laziness and bad mood just went automatically. So, their unstable moods are still predictable. (T2) Students have unstable emotions, which means that now they are in a bad mood, a half or one hour later, their mood is better. As I ever experienced, there is a student who has a problem with his friend, he was fighting and felt angry. But, one hour later, they are talking and laughing together. Keep their relationship tightly. Although students’ unstable emotions are still resolved, they still give an effect on their learning process. In other words, students’ emotional stability is important in the learning process but Elementary School students, still lack emotional stability. As stated by Gagani (2021). the concept of emotional stability is the ability to maintain one's emotional balance under pressure. Again, in handling this condition, teachers are playing important role in making their students’ emotional balance keep stable. Singing a song and ice-breaking can be some relative ways in stabilizing students’ emotions. (T1) So that’s the key, what the teachers have, the cause of students' emotions, that’s why before teaching and learning process we can clapping, singing, or story telling first. That is what me myself always do. Therefore, besides applying some games in the teaching and learning process, the teachers also show some ice-breaking and sing songs together with their students. Those are also their ways in creating a “happy class”. 3.1.1.3 Class condition The condition of the class can be the reason for students’ emotional appearance. Whether the class is fresh, hot, cold, and so on also gives effect the students’ emotions. Yustri (2022) discussed in her article that a good classroom environment is one of the pillars of enhancing student learning. (T2) When the day is already afternoon, the students become tired, feel hot in their class, and they will get angry easily. The unconducive class and the wheatear which are not supported can build a bad mood feeling for them. Based on Pule (2021), a healthy learning environment that supports children must be enthusiastic and conducive to learning and working. A cozy class influences students pleasant in the classroom. Not only for the students but also for the teachers. If the class condition, management, and also temperature go well, the teaching and learning process in the class will also run conditionally. As stated by Boix (2021), indoor temperature, indoor humidity, and outdoor-to-indoor temperature differences largely explain the teacher's lower perception of mood and lower student perception of behaviour and affect students' perception of behaviour. Therefore, in fixing class conditions in the afternoon, teachers add a fan in the class and do outdoor learning. In front of the class or in other rooms in the school such as the computer laboratories, yard, and other places. Those are some ways in avoiding uncomfortable class conditions. The more comfortable the class is, the more positive emotions appear, and the easier material will be received. 3.1.1.4 Classmates’ condition Friends can be the reason for students’ emotions. When a student has a good mood and suddenly his friend does something annoying, his mood will change automatically. Flirting, hitting, and many other things can give effect students’ moods. (T2) “Because of unpredicted conditions, is already afternoon, and they feel hot because of the weather or maybe they were offended with their friends, their teachers, and other things. When they have a problem with their friend, do not like the subject, and they will feel bad mood soon.” (T1) “… sometimes they bother others to express their feeling of bored or something. So, they express their feeling by bothering others, so the teaching and learning process will automatically be disturbed because of them. Students have their own ways to resolve their negative emotions. Bothering their classmates is one of their ways of expressing their negative emotions. Experiences with classmates can affect an adolescent's academic, emotional, and social development (Mertens, 2021). 3.2 DISCUSSION Based on the findings, there are many things that caused students’ negative emotions to appear. The first one is because the students do not like the teachers or the subject. That is an English lesson. Outside of the classroom, English is rarely used in everyday life and students have no opportunity to learn English informally (Getie, 2019). Because of its rare existence in people’s daily life, English is strange for many students. That is the main reason of students feeling in disliking English. From a teacher's perspective, they must have creative teaching skills to prepare them to meet the expectations of the curriculum (Andrea, 2020). Teachers’ creativity gives a big effect on teaching and learning process fluency. The more creative the teacher is, the more the teaching and learning process will grow, develop, and full of joy. Therefore, teachers’ creativity influences fixing students’ perspectives in disliking them. The second finding is that students’ unstable emotions influence the English teaching and learning process. Emotionally stable students manage stress better (Gagani, 2021). It is different for students who have unstable emotions. They cannot control their negative emotion easily, and sometimes they still need other people to handle their negative emotions. The third finding is that causes students’ negative emotions to appear as stated in the finding is the condition of the class. Improving the classroom environment encourages group work and improves student learning (Malik, 2018). Therefore, the class conditions also give affect the appearance of students’ negative emotions. It influences the teaching and learning process fluency in the class. An uncomfortable class will make students not focus on the material delivered by the teacher. The last factor is the classmates’ effect. Classmates can also give effect students’ negative emotions. In other ways, it is also how they express their emotions. When students feel bored by disliking the subject or the teachers, they will do something to cheer themselves up. On the other hand, classmates can also give a positive effect on other students. In summary, classmates greatly influence students’ teaching and learning processes in class. Support (support, encouragement, praise, 6 | Canda Ayu Arum Pertiwi, Dzulfikri Lingual (Vol. 15, No.1, 2023) appreciation) from classmates has a positive impact on students' interest in learning English (Fitriati, 2022). IV CONCLUSION There are two kinds of emotions in general. Those are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotion is expressed by feelings of happiness, joy, gladness, pride, and so on. While negative emotion is expressed by feelings of sadness, disappointment, hurt, and so on. Understanding students’ emotions is important in studying and receiving knowledge. Based on the discussion written in the findings, the conclusion is there are some causes that make students’ negative emotions appear such as 1) Do not like the teacher and the subject, 2) Unstable emotions, 3) Class conditions, and 4) Classmates’ Effect. Teachers need to fix all of those students’ negative emotions appear so that the teaching and learning process will run smoothly. Creating a “happy class” is the key to the smoothness of teaching and learning process. Interesting learning and creative method can also be a way in creating a conditional class. By making students like the teachers, enjoy the class, and interested in the subject, the material will be received easily. REFERENCES Aladdin, A. (2021). 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